Automobile bumper construction



Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,961 w. J. GROTENHUIS AUTOMOBILE BUMPER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 2. 1927 llatented Feb. 28 1928.

UNITED srnres PATENT "or fice.

WILLIAM J. GROTENHUIS, on CHICAGO, ILL'INdIs, AssIoNon To BIFLE'X rnonuo'rs COMPANY, on WAUK'EGAN, ILLINOIS, A coRroRATIonor DELAWARE.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER-CONSTRUCTION.

Application-filed September 2,-1927. Serial No. 1317,033.

This invention relates to improven'ients in automobile bumper construction, and more particularly to a novel means and inethodfor uniting'or joining together the ends of two or more bars forming the bumper.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of clamping fixture or housing in which the ends of the barsto be joined are inserted and then permanently fastened together in a strong andfinished manner.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which a Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of one end portion of a bumper showing a typical arrangement of bars and clamping block.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same portion of the bumper.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in vertical section'taken online3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4; is a view in vertical section taken on line H of Figure 6 showing oneside edge of the clainpingblock inelevation.

Figure 5 is a View in vertical section taken on line 5-5 ofFigure '6 showing the opposite side edge of the block in elevation; and

Figure 6 is a detail view in vertical sec tiontalren on 'line 6-43 of Figured The bumper structure herein illustrated is one in which a pair of resilient steel bars 1, 1 spaced apart vertically form the front or impact section of the bumper, these bars being bent rearwardly and inwardly at each end to form a loop or U-shaped end portion 2. Rearwardly of the front bars 1, 1 is a single rear bar 3 extending between the ends of said front bars and joined in overlapping engagement therewith by means of a clamping fixture 4, there being one of these blocks at each end of the bumper.

As shown in Figure 1, the front bars 1, 1 are spaced a substantial distance apart throughout the front and end portions of the bumper, but adjacent their rearward extremities they are offset edgewise toward each other, so that they assume substantially edge to edge contact at the clamping fixture 4. In the' shaping of these bars, notches or recesses 1*, 1* are also formed in their ad jaeent opposed edges just inwardly from notches 1 1 in the ends of the. frontrbars 1,1 when the bumper is finally assembled.

The clamping fixture 4 is a single casting preferably'of brass or bronze,elongated -vertically, i. e., transversely of the bars, its length being slightlygreater than the combined width of the two front bars 1, 1 at their ends, the edges of the block being curvedoutwardly and its front face rounded and its surface finished to .give it an ornamental appearance. Within the fixture is a hollow space included between front and rear walls 5 and 6, ,joined at top and bottom byend walls 7 7. Throughoutthefcentr-al portionofthe fixture,the rear wall 6 is offsetoutwardly as at 7, the amount of oilset being equalto the thickness of a single bar, and its height equalto the width thereof. At the center of the offset portion of the rear wall is a round hole 7 in line with another hole 5 at the center ofthe front wall 5. Adjacentihe front wall the space is equal in height-to the combined width of the superimposed ends of the front bars 1, l

1 and in width to the thickness of a single bar, but increased to twice that thickness by virtue of the central ofl'set portion 7 of the rear wall. On the opposite side of the fixtureare vertical slots through which ends side (Figure 1) a slot 9 extends substantially the full height of the block having the length andwidth of the superimposed bars 1, 1. Similarly, on the opposite or left side of the block (Figure 5) is a shorter vertical slot 10 offset rearwardly from the line of the longer slot and located in the side ofthe offset portion 7. It is to be noted, however, that the sides of the block opposite the two entrance slots are closed by side wall sections 11 and 12 against'whieh the extremities of the bars abut when inserted from opposite sides. Thus the end of the rear bar 3 abuts against the end wall section 11 and the ends of the bars 1, 1 against the end wall 12, these abutments serving to bring the bars into the proper relationship and the several holes in alignment with each other.

Thus in assembling the bumper, the ends of the bars are simply inserted into the fixture from opposite sides, thus positioning the end of the rear bar 3 just behind the ends of the front bars with equal portions of its width above and below the parting line of said front bars, and the hole Zf in the rear bar into register with the hole formed by the edge recesses 1, 1 of the front bar, and both of these holes in alignment with the holes 5 and 7 in the front and rear walls of the fixture.

T is final. operation of assembly is to drive a rivet 13 through the aligned holes, preferably from the front,'and then by a suitable press or upsetting tool to rivet over the rear end, as shown in Figure 3. In this manner,

the ends of the bars are permanently and rigidly fastened together forming a joint which is adequate to withstand the most severe strain to which the bumper is subjected. Moreover, the end portions of the ends of the joined bars are securely fitted into seats which prevents any looseness developing at the joint, aside from enclosing and concealing the ends in a one-piece casing free from bolts and parts which can work loose or be come detached.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automobile bumper, the combination of a plurality of bars adapted to be joined together at their ends, of a fixture cast in one piece and having openings in the sides thereof through which the ends of said bars are inserted in overlapping contact with each other, and a fastening member extending transversely through said block and the inserted portions of said bars.

2. In an automobile bumper, the combination of a plurality of bars adapted to be joined at their ends in overlapping relation, of a clamping fixture having an internal space with openings through which the end portions of said bars are inserted from opposite sides, and abutments on the sides opposite each opening, and a rivet passing through said fixture and said bars.

3. In an automobile bumper, the combination of a plurality of bars adapted to be joined end to end in overlapping contact, of a clamping fixture having an internal space of substantially the same sectional contour as the overlapping end portions of the bars and having openin s in opposite sides through which the same are inserted, said space being closed by walls on the side opposite said openings and against which the extremities of said bars abut, and a rivet passing through the front and rear walls of said block and through registering holes in said bars.

i. A clamping fixture for the purpose described consisting of a metallic fitting cast in one piece and having an internal space extending laterally thereof and openings in opposite sides thereof through which the ends of bars to be joined together are inerted for overlapping contact within said fixture, and a fastening member extending through said fixture and the enclosed portions of said bars.

5. The combination of a plurality of bars adapted to be joined at their ends in overlapping relation, of a clamping fixture having an internal space with openings through which the end portions of said bars are inserted from opposite sides, said bars having holes adapted to register with each other and with aligned holes through said block, and a rivet passing through said holes.

Signed at VVaukegan, 111., this 19 day of August, 1927.

WILLIAM J. GROTENHUIS. 

